UNUSUAL DEVELOPMENTS IN RICHARD CHICHAKLI CASE

Richard Chichakli

What is going on in the Federal criminal case*, in New York, involving Richard Chichakli and Viktor Bout** ?  The mystery deepens; A review of the court file indicates:

(1) Notwithstanding that he is in custody, in the United States, no attorney or public defender/legal aid lawyer has filed a Notice of Appearance, or any pleadings, on his behalf.

(2) A transcript was filed, on the 3rd of July, indicating that a hearing was held, in the case, on the 4th of June, but there are no filings to indicate what the subject was, or what the outcome was.

Chichakli, who is believed to have been Viktor Bout's CFO, and chief money launderer, may be cooperating with American law enforcement authorities, who do not wish to alert any individuals under investigation about the nature of his substantial assistance, but the court file does not show any sealed pleadings or documents. Rumors continue to circulate to the effect that Chichakli was an intelligence agent while he worked with Bout, but no evidence of this has surfaced.

The case remains a mystery.
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* Case No: 09-cr-01002-WHP (SDNY).
** This is the second case involving Bout; he was convicted in the first one, but American law on extradition precludes his arrest, at this time, on the second case, as he was not specifically extradited for that one.